Language: Mansim

Classification

Mansim/Borai, a language related to Hatam on the northeastern Bird's Head of
Indonesian Papua, is presented as a different language (rather than dialect)
from Hatam in Ger P. Reesink 2002 :304-305 and comparisons of old wordlists
(e.g. von der Gabelentz, Georg and Meyer, Adolf Bernard 1882 ) readily confirm this
difference. Mansim has been assumed to be extinct
( Ger P. Reesink 2002 ), but persistent rumours in the Manokwari area suggest
that there are still as many as 50 senior speakers (own field work, 2010). The
existence of remaining speakers would also be consistent with the last known
published population survey of half a century ago ( A. E. M. J. Pans 1960 ).
Mansim is missing from E16/E17/E18/E19.